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Glite Dictionary
to fibrillate

to fibrillate

4 9.9
Make small, fast, irregular twitching movements in a muscle, especially the heart
  • verb
  • /ˈfɪbrɪˌleɪt/
  • Specialized
translation icon : fibrilar
  • When the doctors checked the monitor, they saw that his heart was fibrillating irregularly.
  • fibrillating heart

Examples

Synonyms

to twitch
vsto fibrillate
66 2.8

To make a sudden small movement you cannot control, especially of a body part

is continuous and much finer, showing many rapid tiny muscle movements
to flutter
vsto fibrillate
8 4.4

To have the heart beat quickly and unevenly, often from excitement or nervousness

is finer, producing very small rapid irregular muscle twitches
to spasm
vsto fibrillate
5 3.4

To make a muscle suddenly tighten without control

is prolonged and very fine rather than a single strong contraction
to jitter
vsto fibrillate
2 4.6

To shake or move quickly because you are nervous

is limited to tiny muscle irregularities rather than general nervous shaking
to palpitate
vsto fibrillate
1 8.4

To shake quickly and unevenly because of a strong feeling or physical reaction

is a finer medical irregular twitching rather than throbbing from feeling

How Twitchy

to convulse
8 7.8
to fibrillate
  • Specialized
4 9.9
to twitch
66 2.8
to quiver
47 4.5

Surface Forms

fibrillate infinitive
fibrillated past
fibrillated past participle
fibrillating present participle
fibrillates third person singular

Morphology

fibrillate = fibril (semi-transparent) = fibrill + ate

Formed by suffixation from 'fibril' ('fibrill-' + '-ate'); the relation is clear morphologically but the meaning is specialized/medical, so it may not be obvious to general learners.

Etymology

Fibrillate comes from the root fibr- meaning 'fiber', the same root as the common word fiber, and it pictures tiny muscle threads moving. So, when a heart fibrillates, its muscle 'fibers' make quick, irregular twitches.